Wheatcroft, Monday qualifier, leads Shell Houston Open after second day:

HUMBLE, Texas -- Steve Wheatcroft hates going to Monday qualifiers. He was reminded Friday why they can be worth it. Wheatcroft, who narrowly qualified for the Shell Houston Open at the start of the week, ran off three straight birdies early in his round and kept bogeys off his card for a second straight 5-under 67. That gave him a one-shot lead over D.A. Points and Jason Kokrak going into the weekend at Redstone Golf Club. Rory McIlroy also will be around for two more days, but just barely. In only his 10th full round of the year, McIlroy walked onto the seventh green -- his 16th hole of the day -- and saw that he was tied for 77th. He two-putted from 85 feet on the fringe for birdie on his next hole, and then safely found the green at the par-3 ninth for a 70. By the end of the day, McIlroy made the cut on the number. "It a weekend where I can have a couple more rounds a...